It is known to use a pair of roller deflection devices above a feed table in order to deflect sheets to be conveyed, each roller deflection device having individual deflection rollers arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction on a common support. In that arrangement, the individual deflection roller which is at the rear in the conveying direction is driven so as to rotate the individual deflection roller which is at the front in the conveying direction. In addition, the pair of roller deflector devices are installed in a fixed position relative to the feed table. As a result, a change in the quality or type of sheets to be processed requires at least some rebuilding of the installation in order to adapt the pair of roller deflection devices to the different conditions. In addition, the roller deflection devices are complicated, as a result of the drive to the individual deflection rollers, and have a very short deflection range defined by only two deflection points.
It is further known from German Patent DE 29710296 to adjustably position a pair of roller deflection devices by means of a pneumatic cylinder. In this case, the incoming sheet can be more reliably deflected, but can be delayed as a result of a non-positive loading or drive to the rollers. There is a risk therefore, that the sheets cannot be fed correctly to the sheet processing machine.